If you have Jesus Lizard fans in your social-media feeds, you’ve probably seen lots of cell-phone photos and videos from Saturday’s concert at Metro. I even posted a couple myself. But would you care for some professional photos? Actually in focus and everything? How fortunate for you, then, that Bobby Talamine shot the show for the Reader.
I first saw the Jesus Lizard in November 1992 in Houston, Texas, where they shared a bill with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. And because I hadn’t been in a Jesus Lizard pit since, I resolved to make the most of what might turn out to be my last chance. If you haven’t held up David Yow during one of his marathon crowd-surfing excursions, have you even really been to a Jesus Lizard show? Despite staying in the pit for the entire set, I only managed to help carry him for a few seconds during “Mouth Breather,” but I’m gonna say that counts. I’m still a little sore.
If you’re reading this, I don’t suppose I need to tell you that the Jesus Lizard were and remain the greatest rock band in the universe—equal parts hilariously unhinged menace and punishingly precise swing. I’ve never had so much fun getting my ass kicked up and down the block by four guys in their late 50s. “I don’t want to be a dick,” Yow said toward the end of the set. “But do you ever think about what it must be like to be in a band as great as we are?”
The Jesus Lizard closed their second and final encore with “Blockbuster,” whose lyrics ask the timeless question “Do you think you’d like to have a blockbuster up your ass / Do you think you’d like that / Well do ya, motherfucker?” And for most of the song, Yow helpfully reminded the audience what an ass looks like. We don’t have any photos of that, though. These are all entirely safe for work—though nothing I can say will protect you from the crippling regret you’re sure to feel if you weren’t there.